Story courtesy of Bernd Frank, Niagara Daillies Regional Sports Editor

October 25, 2021....WELLAND - After playing a pandemic-shortened regular women's college soccer season entirely within their division, the Niagara Knights finally got to see how teams from other parts of Ontario compete.

They got to experience first hand how those sides from other divisions in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) generate offence, as well as how they react on defence when they don't have the ball.

For the host Knights, the results from an OCAA quarter-final against the Humber Hawks at Youngs Sportsplex in Welland were eye-opening.

Despite controlling play in the opening half and out-chancing the second seed from the Central Division, the Knights, the top seed from the south after going undefeated in league play, took a 1-0 deficit into the break on their way to a heartbreaking 3-0 loss.

Head coach Rob Lalama called his team's first setback in its most successful season to date in the program's history a "tough loss."

"Humber's first goal came off a free kick that hit our wall, then bounced in the penalty area," he said. "We were unable to clear it."

Niagara had a chance to get on the scoreboard in the must-win game when Terin Hultink, one of the team's go-to threats on offence, directed a pass across the six-yard box to Sydney Sica, the team's other threat to score whenever she gets the ball within sight of the opposition's net. Hultink and Sica, co-captains on this year's team, each scored nine goals in six games in league play, tying the single-season record Jackie Lawther set in 10 games in 2015.

"Ninety-nine of 100 times Syd puts that in the net," Lalama said.

In the second half, the Hawks scored their second goal and played a "smart tactical game," digging in their heels on defence.

"They had numbers back to thwart our attacks," the coach said.

It was Niagara's first game outside of its division since the OCAA varsity sports returned after missing all of 2020-21 due to the pandemic.

While the Knights earned a first-round bye after dominating their division and sweeping Sheridan, 4-2, Mohawk, 1-4-1, and Redeemer, 0-5-1, in home-and-home series, the Hawks needed to defeat Durham, third, East Division; in penalty kicks in the crossover round to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Both of Humber's regular-season losses were to the 6-0 Seneca Sting, whose two goals against tied Niagara and St. Lawrence-Kingston for the lowest in the league.

Only Humber, with 42, and St. Clair, 41, exceeded the 39 Seneca scoring during the regular season.

In short, the five-team Central Division boasted more than one championship contender this year.

"Humber is a very good team as well," Lalama said of the Hawks, the defending bronze medallists.

Despite Saturday's final score, the Hawks didn't come into the game with Niagara's number.

"Last time we played Humber, we defeated them 3-2. I know we'd forward to playing them again," he said. "They were the better team today."

Lalama couldn't say enough about this year's team.

"We are so proud of the team. They were committed this season," he said. "They trained hard every night."